Creamy Dreamy Tomato Soup (DF)

 I love this soup. A great source of vitamin C, antioxidants, and also gets rid of those ugly free radicals in your blood stream. Remember ..."The redder the better". Think deep colorful foods. This also warms me up on those cooler days and nights!

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. Olive oil (or vegetable broth for non oil recipe)

• 1 diced onion

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced.

• ½ cup raw soaked cashews ( soak in water for 30 min)

• 2 cups Vegetable broth

• 3-4 tsp. tomato paste

• 1 can whole tomatoes w/ juice

• ¼ cup oil packed of sun dried tomatoes, drained.

• ½-1 tsp. dried oregano

• ¼ tsp. fine grain salt

• ½ tsp. ground pepper

Instructions

1. Heat Olive oil (or broth) in Large saucepan, add the onion, garlic and sauté for 5-6 minutes until translucent.

2. In a blender, combine the soaked cashews and the broth and blend on high speed until creamy and smooth. Add the garlic-onion mixture, tomatoes and their juices, sun-dried tomatoes, and tomato paste and blend on high until smooth.

3. Pour the tomato mixture into the saucepan in which you cooked the onions and set the pan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then stir in the oregano, salt, pepper, and thyme, all to taste.

4. Gently simmer over medium heat, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes, until the flavors have developed.

5. Chill if a cool soup is desired.

6. You can thin this out with some more veggie broth if needed. 

Glorious Green Smoothie

Serves 1

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup kale or collard greens firmly packed, stems removed, coarsely chopped

• 1⁄2-1 Granny Smith apple, coarsely chopped ( or 1 cup grapes or pineapple)

• 1 ripe frozen banana

• 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves ( or mint/ basil)

• 2 cups water (plus more if needed)

• 1⁄2 cup of raw almonds or almond butter (optional)

METHOD

Combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth
If too thick, add a little more water

Nutty Chocolate Bark

I love making barks as they last forever in the freezer. You never know when you may need a little something, and this is it!

Ingredients:

12oz chocolate chips ( I like dark chocolate, you can also use Vegan Choc chips)

3/4 cup of nuts ( almonds pecans, pepitas, pistachios, walnuts…use a few or mix it up)

1/4-1/3 cup of dried cranberries, cherries, blueberries or a mix

1/2 teaspoon of flaky salt

Instructions:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast the nuts on a baking sheet for about 6-8 minutes. When cool enough, roughly chop nuts.

2.Melt chocolate slowly in a double boiler, or in a microwave safe bowl in short 30 second increments . When the chocolate is almost melted take off heat and keep stiring.

3. Cover a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper . Using a silicone spatula, spread chocolate evenly over baking sheet until 1/4 " thick.

4.Lightly sprinkle chopped nuts evenly over the chocolate, then follow by dried fruit, then salt flakes.

5. Place baking sheet in refrigerator until hard.

6. Break into pieces and store in a sealed container in the refrigerator .